Acoustical structure



Jan. 5, 1965 w. G. KEMP 3,163,961

ACOUSTICAL STRUCTURE Filed June 11, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 5, 1965w. a. KEMP 3,163,961

ACOUSTICAL STRUCTURE Filed June 11, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORN'YJUnited States Patent 3,163,961 AQQUSTTCAL STRUCTURE William G. Kemp,Pontiac, Mich, assignor to The Soundiock Corporation, Hazelhnrst, Gas, acorporation of Delaware Filed June 11, 1W2, Ser. No. 2lll,696

'7 Claims. (Cl. So -4AM) This invention relates generally to acousticalstructure and refers more particularly to a strong, lightweightacoustical panel designed to present a pleasing appearance whenassembled with other like panels in a suitable installation.

One object of the invention is to provide a lightweight acoustical panelwhich is exceptionally strong and rigid, and therefore capable ofmaintaining a flat uniform appearance without waves or irregularities.

Another object is to provide an acoustical panel constructed tofacilitate the installation thereof or removal my invention.

FIGURE 2 is a view looking in the direction of the arrow 2 in FIGURE 1.

FlGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of an end of theacoustical panel.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating oppositesides of the panel.

FIGURE 5 is afragmentary view illustrating the interlock between thesides of adjacent panels.

FIGURE 6 is an exploded fragmentary perspective view illustrating partsof the composite panel prior to assembly.

FlGURE 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the panel.

Referring now more particularly-to the drawings, the acoustical panelstherein illustrated are of the same construction and generallydesignated by the reference character Ill. Each panel it? includes aperforated pan 12, a reflecting pan 1% and a core structure confinedbetween the pans comprising a relatively rigid honeycomb layer 16 havingsound deadening material 18 within the cells of the-honeycomb.

The perforated pan 12 has a substantially flat rectangular layer ormember 20 provided with a plurality of orifices 22. The orifices may bein either a regular or irregular pattern and are provided to allow soundto pass to the, interior of the panel to be deadened by the sounddeadening material in the cells of the honeycomb.

Y The pan 12 has end Walls 24 which connect integrally with the oppositeend margins of the flat bottom layer 29 and project upwardly at rightangles to the bottom layer, terminating in the outwardly extending andreturnbent flanges 26. The flanges including the return-bent portionsthereof are substantially parallel to the plane of the bottom layer 2t)of the pan T2.

The opposite sidesof the perforated pan 12 are formed with theextensions28 and 3t which join integrally with the side margins of thebottom layerZtl of thepan. The extension 23 extends laterally outward,then upward and is return-bent and folded back upon itself, all asillus- 3,153,961 Patented Jan. 5., 1965 ice trated in FIGURES 4 and 6.The outwardly extending portion of the extension 28 is designated 32,the upwardly extending portion 34 and the return-bent portion 36.

The other extension 30 has the portion 38 extending outwardly in theplane of the bottom layer 20, the downwardly opening hook portion 40 andthe return-bent portion 42 which follows the 'shape of the hook andterminates above the portion 33. p

The pan 12 may be molded, stamped or otherwise produced from metal,plastic or any other suitable material. The material should present asmooth relatively rigid hard outer surface capable of being cleaned withcase since it is the outer surface which will be exposed to view in afinished acoustical installation such as that shown in FTGURE l.

The reflecting pan 14 has a substantially flat rectangular upper layeror member 44 which is of the same size and dimension as the layer 20 andwhich extends in spaced parallel relation thereto. The pan 14 has theend walls 46 joined integrally with the upper layer 44 along theopposite end margins thereof which extend downwardly at right angles tothe plane of layer 44 and ter-minatein the outwardly extending flanges48. In the assembled condition of the panel, the flanges 48 are tightlyclamped within the channel defined by the return-bent flanges 26 alongthe opposite ends of the refleeting 'pan. The flanges 48 together withflanges 26 and the return-bent portions thereof lie in a planeapproximately midway between the planes of the upper and lower layers 44and 20 and parallel thereto.

Referring to FIGURES 4 and 6, the pan 14 has side walls 50 integrallyjoined to the opposite side margins of the layer 44 and projecting atright angles thereto toward the perforated pan 12 and actuallycontacting the perforated pan 12 in a continuous line contact along theside margins of the bottom layer 20 thereof. The sides 50 oftherefiecting pan have at their lower edges the integral lateralextensions 54 and 56. These extensions have the outline illustrated inFIGURES 4 and 6 and, as shown, extension 54 extends laterally outwardand upward to fit within the channel defined by the extension 28 of theperforated pan 12 to be tightly clamped therein. The extension 56extends within the channel defined by the extension 34 of the perforatedpan 12 and is tightly clamped therein.

The extended portions 28 and 54 of the two pans together provide alaterally outward extension 60 terminating in an upturned flange 62. Theextended portions 3% and 56 of the two pans along the opposite side ofthe a panel together define an outward extension 64, and a hook having aleg 66 integral with the outward extension and extending upward atsubstantially a right angle to the plane of the bottom layer 20 which isreturn-bent to provide a free leg 68 inclined from the base '70 of thehook away from the leg 66 and terminating in a foot 72 parallel to theplane of layer 2% The flanges 26 and 48 along the ends of the panelprovide a sup porting flange extension 74.

The top and bottom surfaces of the honeycomb 16 are adhered directly insurface-.to-surface relation to the inner surfaces of layers Ziland 44toprevent separation of the layers from the honeycomb. Since the sides andends of thepan are mechanically crimped together, delamination cannotoccur at the edges and hence a rigid permanently flat light weightacoustical panel structure is provided.

A plurality of the panels 10 are shown in aceiling assembly inFIGURE 1.Therows of panels are separated by rolled metal T-bars which aresupported in spaced parallel relation to each other.

The spacing be- I tween the T-bars corresponds with the length of thepanels so that the opposite ends of the panels are sup ported by theflanges 74 thereon which rest upon the flanges 82 of the inventedT-bars. The ends of the panels beneath the flanges 74 contact the sides83 of the T-bar to prevent endwise shifting of the panels.

The sides of adjacent'panels are interlocked by the extended portions ofthe panels along the sides thereof. This is shown in FIGURE 5. It willbe noted that the side of the panel having the hook is supported on theside of an adjacent panel by engagement of the foot 72 of the hook withthe outward extension 60 of'the other panel. The arrangement is suchthatthe panels,'or the bottom surfaces thereof, are in a common plane.The base 70 of the hook is supported above and clear of the upper edgeof the upturned portion 62. Hence it is the foot of the hook whichsupports the panel. This is preferred to supporting the panel byengagement of the upper edge of flange 62 with the base of the hook, because anyslight variation in the dimension of the hooks and flanges,which might result in an irregular surface when several panels areinstalled side by side as in FIG- URE 1 can be readily cured in thepresent construction by merely forming a longer foot 72 on the hook ifthat is considered necessary.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. An acoustical panel, comprising a substantially flat perforatedmember, a substantially flat sound-reflecting member extending over saidperforated member in spaced parallel relation thereto, sound-deadeningmeans between said members including a relatively rigid honeycomb corethe opposite surfaces of which are adhered directly to the opposedsurfaces of said members to'prevent the material of said members fromsagging or separating from the honeycomb core, sound deadening materialin the cells of the honeycomb core, said members along one edge of saidpanel having extended portions secured together in surface-to-surfacerelation providing an outward marginal extension of the panelterminating in an upturned flange, said members having extended portionsalong the opposite edge of the panel secured together insurfaceto-surface relation and defining a downwardly opening generallyU-shaped hook having a free leg and hook being adapted to engage overthe flange of a like adjacent panel, the free leg of said hook being ofa length to engage the extension of the adjacent panel and sup port thefirst-mentioned panel so that the base of the hook thereof is above andclear of the flange of the adjacent panel.

2. An acoustical panel, comprising a substantially flat perforatedmember, a substantially flat sound-reflecting member extending over saidperforated member in spaced parallel relation thereto, sound deadeningmeans between said members including a relatively rigid honeycomb corethe opposite surfaces of which are adhered directly to the opposedsurfaces of said members to prevent the material of said members fromsagging or separating from the honeycomb core, sound deadening materialin 'the cells of the honeycomb core, said perforated member having wallsat opposite edges of said panel extending from the margins of saidperforated member toward said reflecting member, said reflecting memberhaving walls at the said opposite edges of said panel extending from themargins of said reflecting member toward said perforated member, thewalls of one of said members having laterally outwardly extendingflanges and the walls of the other of said members having laterallyoutwardly extending flanges return-bent to form inwardly openingchannels respectively receiving and tightly gripping the first-mentionedflanges to prevent separation of said members and delamination of saidmembers and core, said flanges and channels extending from side to sideof said panel and being located approximately midway between the planesof said members and serving to support said panel in a suitableinstallation, said panel having along one of its remaining edges anoutward marginal extension terminating in an upturned flange, said panelhaving along the other of its remaining edges a downwardly opening,generally U-shaped hook having a free leg and a leg joined to the panel,said hook being adapted to engage over the upturned flange of a likeadjacent panel, the free leg of said hook being of a length to engagethe extension of the adjacent panel and support the first-mentionedpanel so that the base of the hook is above and clear of the upturnedflange of the adjacent panel.

3. The acoustical panel defined in claim 2, wherein said marginalextension and upturned flange and said hook are formed from overlappingextended portions of said member secured to each other insurface-to-surface relaltion.

4. An acoustical panel, comprising a substantially flat perforatedmember, a substantially flat second member extending over saidperforated member in spaced'parallel relation thereto, a relativelyrigid'honeycomb core between said members, means connecting said membersand core together in a permanent assembly, said core resisting warpingof the panel, said panel having along one edge thereof an outwardmarginal extensionterminating in an upturned'flange, said panel havingalong the opposite edge thereof a downwardly opening generally U-shapedhook having a free leg and a leg joined to the said opposite edge of thepanel, said outward marginal extension and upturned flange and said hookconstituting integral extensions of at least one of said members, saidhook being adapted to engage over the flange of a like adjacent panel,the free leg of said hook being of a length to engage the extension ofthe adjacent panel and support the firstmentioned panel so that the baseof the hook thereof is above and clear of the upturned flange of theadjacent panel.

5. An acoustical panel, comprising a substantially flat perforatedmember, a substantially flat second member extending over saidperforated member in spaced parallel relation thereto, a relativelyrigid honeycomb core between said members, means connecting said coreand members together in a permanent assembly, said core resistingwarping of the panel, said panel having along opposite edges thereoflaterally outward extensions providing flanges to support said panel ina suitable installation, said panel having along one of its remainingedges an outward marginal extension terminating in an upturned flange,said panel having along the other of its remaining edges a downwardlyopening, generally U-shaped hook having afree leg and a leg joined tothe panel, said hook being adapted to engage over the upturned flange ofa like adjacent panel, the free leg of said hook being of a length toengage the marginal extension of the adjacent panel and support thefirst-mentioned panel so that the base of the hook is above and clear ofthe upturned flange of the adjacent panel.

6. The acoustical panel defined in claim 5, wherein said outwardextensions, said outward marginal extension and upturned flange and saidhook are formed from integral extended portions of at least one of saidmembers.

7. In a ceiling structure, a pair of adjacent panels arrangedsubstantially in edge-to-edge relation in a common horizontal plane,each panel having a substantially flat perforated member, asubstantially flat second member extending over said perforated memberin spaced parallel relation thereto, a relatively rigid honeycomb corebetween said members of each panel, means connecting said core andmembers of each panel together in a permanent assembly, said core ofeach panel resisting warping thereof, and a connection between adjacentedges of said panels including an outward marginal extension along saidadjacent edge of onepanel terminating in an upturned flange, adownwardly opening generally U-shap'ed book along said adjacent edge ofthe other panelhaving a free leg and a leg connected to said otherpanel, said hook engaging over said upturned flange, the lower end ofsaid 5 free leg engaging the extension of said one panel to support saidother panel so that the base of the hook is above and clear of saidupturned flange, said outward marginal extensien' and upturned flangeand said book being formed from integral extended portions of at leastone of said members of each panel.

References J lted in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS892,693 Stein Fuly 7, 1908 1,889,784 Harter -1 Bee. 6, 1932 1,966,041Nelson July 16, 1934 6 Burgess Ian. 21, 1936 Nold e1 e1 Dee. 8, 1936Venzie Mar. 21, 1939 Gillett et a1 Sept. 14, 1948 10m June 7, 1955 KempFeb. 20, 1962 Kemp July 2, 1963 FOREIGN PATENTS Switzerland May 31, 1956 Great Britain Dec. 27, 1951 France Jan. 31, 1933

4. AN ACOUSTICAL PANEL, COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT PERFORATEDMEMBER, A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT SECOND MEMBER EXTENDING OVER SAIDPERFORATED MEMBER IN SPACED PARALLEL RELATION THERETO, A RELATIVELYRIGID HONEYCOMB CORE BETWEEN SAID MEMBERS, MEANS CONNECTING SAID MEMBERSAND CORE TOGETHER IN A PERMANENT ASSEMBLY, SAID CORE RESISTING WARPINGOF THE PANEL, SAID PANEL HAVING ALONG ONE EDGE THEREOF AN OUTWARDLYMARGINAL EXTENSION TERMINATING IN AN UPTURNED FLANGE, SAID PANEL HAVINGALONG THE OPPOSITE EDGE THEREOF A DOWNWARDLY OPENING GENERALLY U-SHAPEDHOOK HAVING A FREE LEG AND A LEG JOINED TO THE SAID OPPOSITE EDGE OF THEPANEL, SAID OUTWARD MARGINAL EXTENSION AND UPTURNED FLANGE AND SAID HOOKCONSTITUTING INTEGRAL EXTENSIONS OF AT LEAST ONE OF SAID MEMBERS, SAIDHOOK BEING ADAPTED TO ENGAGE OVER THE FLANGE OF A LIKE ADJACENT PANEL,